RE: Focus [was Bush's Address on Gay Marriage]

Quoting Vicki Mercer <[email protected]>:

> I submit that this is  one of the intended diversions from what's going
> on in Iraq as we speak.  If Iraq isn't a fundamental issue in the coming
> months, it's the fault of us all to FOCUS on what is going on.    The
> daily death toll is rising since the so-called "handover" and Iraq looks
> more look like Vietnam with each passing moment.   All that's missing is
> the draft.
> 

It's definitely a diversion. (If Dean were running, Bush would be using this 
amendment as a personal attack.) Just like the Moon/Mars space plan, ballistic 
missile defense systems, the Tom Ridge/John Ashcroft announcements of an 
imminent terror attack, etc.  It's the 'hey look over there, it's something 
shiny!' trick.

Considering the American people get their news from major media outlets, 
whatever those outlets think is important will become the focus of the next 
few weeks which will lead us on to the next round of important topics, so on 
and so forth.  When Iraq came along, Afghanistan faded from the foreground.  
The former Yugoslavia and all its continuing troubles, gone.  

The bombing of a natural gas pipeline in Iraq still rates a front page 
article, but for how long?  There seems to be an increasing focus on the 
plight of the indigenous Sudanese, caught between African rebel groups and 
Arab horsemen.  The presidential race, now headed toward the conventions, will 
be promoted as economy and security uber alles.

You're right, though.  It will be our fault if in the midst of every issue so 
dear to us we lose sight of the death, destruction and utter chaos we've 
created in Iraq. (If the U.S.  was held to the standards many other (weaker) 
countries are subject to, we would be seeing Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush and Rice 
at the ICC charged with war crimes.)

The draft is coming, despite the scoffing of the Pentagon and Administration.  
The Armed Services Committees expressed their concern in an article the other 
day about lengthened deployment times, overworked and underequipped soldiers 
and decreased retention rates. 

The National Defense Authorization Act for 2005, Sec. 402, (a):
(a) AUTHORITY- During fiscal years 2005 through 2009, the Secretary of Defense 
is authorized to increase by up to 30,000 the end strength authorized for the 
Army for such fiscal year under section 115(a)(1)(A) of title 10, United 
States Code, as necessary to support the operational mission of the Army in 
Iraq and Afghanistan and to achieve transformational reorganization objectives 
of the Army, including objectives for increased numbers of combat brigades, 
unit manning, force stabilization and shaping, and rebalancing of the active 
and reserve component forces of the Army.

Where will those 30,000 new soldiers come from? Males, age 18-26, at first.

-x 
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